Holiday spirit … Carmel style

Sunset, Dec, 1995 by Peter Fish

After admiring Carmel views on canvas and photographic paper, check out the real thing by walking down Ocean to Carmel Beach City Park, a crescent of white sand with views to the manicured greens of Pebble Beach to the north. If you want to make an afternoon of it, a homage to Carmel's most famous poet by walking south 1 1/4 miles to Robinson Jeffers's Tor House (26304 Ocean View Ave.; 624-1813 or 624-1840). It's open 10 to 3 Fridays and Saturdays for hourly tours; reservations are required.

A short walk to the south is Carmel River State Beach, with its sweeping views across Carmel Bay to Point Lobos. Just east of the beach rises Mission San Carlos Borromeo (Rio Rd. and Lasuen Dr.; 624-3600), completed in 1797 and extensively restored in the 1930s. Perhaps it's because this mission serves as Father Junipero Serra's resting place that it possesses a particular poignant beauty; it also has, in the proud words of rector Monsignor Declan Murphy, "the best mission museum in California by far."

Across Rio Road from the mission lies the south entrance to Mission Trail Park. From here the Serra and Doolittle trails lead 1/2 mile north to the estimable Lester Rowntree Arboretum, a bower honoring an indefatigable botanist and booster of California native plants.

Dining & Lodging

For early-morning sustenance, many Carmelites head for longtime favorites EmLe's (Dolores between 5th and 6th; 408/ 625-6780) and Village Corner (Dolores and 6th; 624-3588). Caffe Cardinale (Ocean between Dolores and San Carlos; 626-2095) is good for sipping cappuccino while perusing the weekly Carmel Pine Cone.

For lunch or dinner try Casanova (5th between Mission and San Carlos; 625-0501). As the restaurant's name promises, the atmosphere is heavy on the romance, although the recorded baritones crooning about amore are a tad too loud for the tiled courtyards. Romance a la francaise is offered by tiny La Boheme (Dolores and 7th; 624-7500), which features prix-fixe dinners. The Avenue (Ocean between Lincoln and Monte Verde St.; 624-4395) serves California cuisine in a classic Hansel-and-Gretel cottage. Newly opened in the Pine Inn is the Carmel outpost of the popular Italian chain Il Fornaio (Ocean and Lincoln; 622-5100). At La Playa Hotel, Terrace Grill (Camino Real and 8th; 624-4010) offers nicely prepared fish and pasta and a lovely view of the hotel's lush gardens. For an even more knockout view -- and a killer hamburger -- eat at Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch (26270 Dolores; 625-9040). The restaurant has a cheery piano bar where Clint is said to sit in on occasion. Back in town, his other venue, Hog's Breath Inn (San Carlos between 5th and 6th), remains a convivial place for cocktails and simple food.

Except for a few days around Christmas itself, rooms are generally plentiful this time of year, and low rates hold through January. Among the larger hotels is the venerable La Playa Hotel (Camino Real and 8th; 800/582-8900). It began as an artist's house in 1904 and today is a rambling compound of Spanish-style buildings and gardens. La Playa recently acquired five adjacent cottages, and these one-, two-. and three-bedroom units (with kitchens) are good for families. Rooms run from $116 to $215, cottages $215 to $495. The Mediterranean tower of the Cypress Inn (Lincoln and 7th; 800/ 443-7443) remains one of Carmel's chief landmarks; the inn is partly owned by Doris Day, which explains both the Hollywood memorabilia in the bar and the inn's pet-friendly policy. Rooms run from $98 to $245. South of the village at Eastwood's Mission Ranch (26270 Dolores; 800/538-8221), guests can look across pastureland to Carmel Bay and Point Lobos. Rooms run from $85 to $240.